A new report from the National Bureau of Statistics, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N721 billion ($1.26 billion) in cash bribes to public officials in 2023.
The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” highlights the widespread nature of bribery in the country. On average, each cash bribe amounted to N8,284, up from N5,754 in 2019.
Judges topped the list of bribe recipients, with an average bribe of N31,000. Customs and Immigration officials followed with N17,800, while members of the armed forces received N16,600 per bribe. Land registry officials and police officers received N11,700 and N10,400, respectively.
The findings also showed that 46% of public officials admitted to offering bribes to secure their employment. This figure is 1.5 times higher than that reported in 2019. Additionally, six out of ten successful candidates in the public sector confessed to using nepotism or bribery to enhance their recruitment chances.
The police were identified as the most prevalent in requesting bribes, with 9% of individuals who interacted with police officials reporting such demands. Nurses and doctors followed at 4%, teachers and lecturers at 3%, and public utility officials at 6%. Contact with Federal Road Safety Corps officials and vehicle inspection officers also resulted in bribe requests at rates of 4% and 2%, respectively.
The report also noted that individuals with higher education levels were more likely to pay bribes than those with no formal education.
